Just heard of the discovery of the 5,000 year old man Otiz. Pretty fascinating.

[Fla Dem]

Solving the 5,000-Year-Old Murder of Otzi the Iceman
02/11/2016 03:05 pm ET
Huffington Post
Garry Rodgers
Former homicide detective and forensic coroner


In 1991, the mummified body of a 5,000-year-old murder victim was discovered in melting ice at a rock-gully crime scene high in the Italian Otzal Alps. Nicknamed “Otzi“, the estimated 45-year-old man and his possessions were incredibly well preserved. His skin, hair, bones, and organs were cryopreserved in time, allowing archeological researchers a phenomenal insight into human life in the Copper Age.

The frozen corpse also gave modern science the opportunity to forensically investigate and positively determine how Otzi the Iceman was killed.

The story began on a sunny September day, when two hikers were traversing a mountain pass at the 3210-meter (10,530 foot) level and saw a brown, leathery shape protruding from the ice amidst running melt-water. Examining closely, they found a human body which they thought might be the victim of a past mountaineering accident.

>>>>snip<<<<

The day before Otzi’s death, he was in a physical altercation down at the village on the valley floor where he suffered the cut hand and possibly the broken right ribs. This caused him to pack up and flee, climbing to the elevated pass where he was overcome by his attacker(s) and shot with the arrow from behind and below. This wound would have put Otzi into hemorrhagic shock and he would have quickly collapsed and internally bled out. Following his collapse, the murderer(s) went up and caved-in the back of Otzi’s head to finish him off.

More>>>>
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/garry-rodgers/solving-the-5000-year-old-murder_b_9187216.html

5 Surprising Facts About Otzi the Iceman
Scholars continue to be amazed by the ancient man found frozen in the Alps.
By James Owen, for National Geographic
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 18, 2013

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131016-otzi-ice-man-mummy-five-facts/

[Bucky]

1. We cover Otzi the Ice Man in the first week of my class each year

Loves me some Otzi. That boy went down fighting

[Fla Dem]

4. What classes are you teaching? That's how you make history interesting!

[UTUSN]

2. I love this stuff. So robbery not a motive. He pissed villagers of & ran. Ate goat 2 hrs before.

Last edited Sat May 21, 2016, 02:52 PM - Edit history (1)

I want that beauty of an axe!1

********QUOTE*******

http://www.iceman.it/en/axe
[font size=5]The copper axe[/font]
The most important item of the Iceman’s equipment is his copper-bladed axe. The carefully smoothed yew haft is around 60 cm long. At the top of the haft there is a forked shaft into which the blade was fixed with birch tar and tightly bound with thin leather straps to keep it in place.The 9.5 cm blade is trapezoidal in shape and made of almost pure copper. The narrow end was produced by cold-hammering after the blade was cast. It allowed the blade, which shows clear signs of use, to be fixed more securely in the haft. Archaeological experiments have shown that the copper axe was an ideal tool for felling trees and could fell a yew tree in 35 minutes without sharpening. The axe was therefore not just a symbol of rank. In the period around 3000 years BC, copper axes were a status symbol and must have been cherished as weapons. Perhaps the Iceman was therefore a tribal leader o

Copper
Like gold, copper was one of the first metals to be worked by humans. This is probably related to the fact that both metals can occur in their pure, native state. However, this is rarely the case. Often copper occurs in ores, from which the metal has to be extracted. In prehistoric times, the Alps were especially well known for their copper ore deposits.
Copper is a relatively soft metal that is easy to shape and work. At first Copper Age metalworkers shaped and hammered native copper nuggets in the cold state. Later they learned how to smelt cooper ore and to cast the molten metal.

A close examination – Ötzi’s axe
The metal for the axe edge was smelted from copper ore. It was then heated into a molten state and cast. Finally shaping was accomplished by cold-forging. The edge shows clear signs of use and resharpening with a whetstone.
The haft, i.e. the handle of the axe, was carved from the split wood of a yew tree. A nearly right-angled branch growing out of the trunk was used. The axe blade is held in a slit in the haft with birch tar. It was then bound in place with narrow strips of leather.

Using a replica of the axe, it took just over half an hour to fell a yew tree.

Status symbol or everyday utensils
In Central Europe in the period around 3000 BC, a copper axe would have belonged to a man of high social status. This is confirmed by grave finds from this period. In the grave field at Remedello di Sotto southwest of Lake Garda, for example, only 17% of the axes placed in the men’s graves had a copper blade. The copper axe blades recovered from those graves are identical in shape and size to the Iceman’s.

Archaeologists suspect that during the European Copper Age, axes with a copper blade served as status symbols, thus indicating a social hierarchy. They were regarded by their owners as representational objects. However, clear signs of use on the Iceman’s axe blade confirm that it was also used as a tool or weapon. These objects are depicted on statue menhirs.

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[pinboy3niner]

3. Ibex you the axe is not for sale

Too baaaad.

[UTUSN]

5. Fine. I'll just *make* it myself (see YouTube). Or I'll make do with

my Roman gladius and my medieval "poor man's sword"! Pics to follow:




********QUOTE********
https://www.knightsedge.com/

*** Roman Gladius

A very distinctive twist to this ancient design Roman sword rests in the striking solid brass studs that encircle the rich wood pommel and guard. Truly an imperial touch to this historical functional battle ready sword! Leather sheath included with the Roman gladius sword. Blade: 2-1/4"W x 22"L. Overall length 30". Item #2010


*** Dussack Cutlass. “The People’s Blade”
Each Dussack cutlass is made from a single piece of steel and is clearly a "no frills" cutting weapon! This curious weapon dates back to Europe's early 1600's.
Because of its simple and functional design, it was favored by commoners, who needed a weapon that could be used for a variety of purposes. The Dussack sword cutlass served well for hunting, farm and fieldwork, domestic chores and of course as a fighting weapon against enemy attacks. These functional and historical "Blades of the People" faithfully duplicate the originals and belong in everyone's collection as they are a tribute to the courage and ingenuity of histories "everyday people". Overall length: 25-1/4". Item #2652

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[pinboy3niner]

6. You can fire up the smelter while watching CSI: Tyrol

[frogmarch]

7. On a TV special I saw

about Otzi several years ago, the team examining him said he had been wearing grass clothing, including a grass skirt and a braided grass cape. His boots were stuffed with straw, probably for warmth.

Poor Otzi.

[rurallib]

8. just a thousand years after the creation.